OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Chicago, IL 60639

Chicago: median income $61,089, home value $309,900, $241/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Woonsocket, RI 02895 81%833$61,059$311,000$228 smaller · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Newark, NJ 07106 81%705$53,440$355,400$243 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · more renters
Philadelphia, PA 19111 80%673$61,138$253,700$218 cheaper homes ($56K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Providence, RI 02909 79%838$64,649$325,300$250 smaller · 9 min shorter commute
East Orange, NJ 07017 79%706$58,853$374,800$252 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller · more renters
Lynn, MA 01902 78%860$67,046$478,000$348 pricier homes ($168K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Pawtucket, RI 02860 78%840$61,539$336,100$250 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Providence, RI 02905 78%841$62,908$371,900$258 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Brooklyn, MD 21225 77%613$54,020$229,000$187 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Brockton, MA 02301 76%857$74,214$449,400$321 pricier homes ($140K more) · newer homes
Washington, DC 20019 76%606$58,296$456,800$252 pricier homes ($147K more) · newer homes
Providence, RI 02908 75%838$73,081$324,100$240 smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Bridgeport, CT 06610 74%755$51,634$228,300$219 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · older residents
Irvington, NJ 07111 74%706$61,609$335,600$287 pricier homes ($26K more) · more renters · newer homes
Worcester, MA 01603 73%815$66,049$331,300$257 smaller · 11 min shorter commute
New Bedford, MA 02740 73%865$55,237$345,800$259 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Easton, PA 18042 73%656$77,556$230,200$186 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19149 73%674$58,496$211,000$189 cheaper homes ($99K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Fitchburg, MA 01420 72%816$72,780$335,300$246 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19152 72%674$59,408$293,700$244 smaller · more homeowners · newer homes
Baltimore, MD 21206 72%614$64,531$216,100$166 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lowell, MA 01850 71%841$69,780$390,800$313 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Fall River, MA 02720 71%854$62,196$398,000$253 pricier homes ($88K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Bridgeport, CT 06604 71%753$50,026$267,100$210 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · more renters
Bridgeport, CT 06606 71%753$73,372$289,000$271 smaller · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.